Display omitted •Fundamental knowledge on SSPFR are detailed illustrated.•Catalytic mechanism of each step and development of SSPFR are reviewed.•Various strategies aimed at improving the reaction rate are discussed and summarized.•Applications are introduced.•Prospects for the future development of SSPFR are presented. Fenton reaction has gained tremendous attention in the field of non-selective pollutant degradation, as •OH with powerful oxidizing capacity can be produced via H2O2 activation. However, the widespread application is limited by the continuous consumption of commercial H2O2 with high price. As an alternative strategy, self-sufficient photo-Fenton reaction (SSPFR) has been explored, where oxidant H2O2 was in-situ produced inside the system for subsequent Fenton reactions, rather than external addition. Benefiting from the low cost, high H2O2 utilization efficiency, and low risk in H2O2 storage and transportation, SSPFR became a hotpot in scientific research, and developed rapidly in recent years. Herein, we critically reviewed the state-of-the-art development of SSPFR, in which the fundamental mechanism and catalytic process were firstly introduced. Then, SSPFR reaction was divided into three cascade steps: in-situ H2O2 production, H2O2 activation, and reactive oxygen species utilization. This paper reviewed the research progress in every step, and proposes corresponding potential strategies to accelerate the reaction rate. Finally, conclusions and prospects of SSPFR for the removal of organic pollutants were proposed. This study provides a valuable resource for researchers to construct novel and efficient SSPFR systems.